Anti-war Iraq veteran narrowly misses in bid for US Congress seat (AFP)

AFP/File Photo: Democratic candidate Paul Hackett receives help from his daughter, Grace, 8, as he votes in...

CHICAGO (AFP) - A Marine reservist narrowly failed in his bid to become the first
Iraq War veteran to serve in the US Congress, losing to a longtime Republican legislator in his conservative Ohio district, US media reported.

Paul Hackett was defeated by Jean Schmidt by 59,132 votes to 55,151, according to unofficial totals, a margin of 51.7 percent to 48.3 percent.

Hackett, a Democrat who ran on an anti-war platform, made a surprisingly strong showing in Tuesday's special election to fill the seat recently vacated by Republican Rob Portman, who was named earlier this year to be US Trade Representative.

An attorney and former Marine major who served in combat on Iraq's frontlines, Hackett was considered a longshot in a district that had not sent a Democrat to Washington in nearly 40 years and where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than three to one

I hope Major Paul Hackett USMC (ret) continues his political career.

Semper Fi